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Wednesday, September 23, 2015

RS Revival: Getting a Grip!

It's been proven. On paper, on websites, on YouTube, on the road. It doesn't matter if you've got power on all wheels or on just one if you don't have the right grip. And to put that grip to the surface, you need the right tire.

In the case of my project car, a 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Coupe, it needs to grip on the dirty stuff for Rallycross. As both the car and the driver have made improvements, there's always a drive to get better times and a big key to that is GRIP. However, the tires I've been using to get grip are old and heavy, so when I set my sights on the next improvement for my rallycross build, I may have missed the mark initially.

My original plan for improvement for the next stage of my RS was Stage 2. A ECU from Delicious Tuning was supposed to tie together my Gorilla Top-Mount Cold Air Intake, Stromung Catback Exhaust, and tuned headers to make more power to spin those big heavy rally wheels faster. Clawing my way out of corners with my current tires had proven to be a cumbersome task for the stock 2.5 liter SOHC Boxer 4 in my RS, so my focus was on making more power to make up for those heavy stage rally puncture-proof Michelin Gravel Competition Tires.

I may still go with tuning for the Stage 2 setup that I have, but I've learned through this summer that, if I can lighten the load and maximize grip for the grassy dirt clod that the NRSCCA uses for rallycross events each year, I don't need to really go that route. What I need are lighter tires with grip designed for these kinds of conditions. Thankfully, I've found one.

These are Indy Sport SG Rallycross tires. They're designed for conditions that often arise at the rallycross site here in Nebraska. These are dedicated rallycross tires that excel in wet and loose conditions. Whether it's grass, mud, or loose gravel, this tire ensures grip from the start thanks to a soft compound.

I ordered these tires from Rally.Build based out of Colorado. The tires themselves are from Germany and are being shipped in. They should be here in the next week or so. These will replace the Michelin Gravel Tires and be mounted on my Speedline Corse Type 2118s. These will hopefully arrive and be mounted in time for the last two events of the 2015 NRSCCA Rallycross season.